The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1887-10-14


thence that is hard to meet. Insist
ing that the kettle must never be
placed on the stove unless filled,
and examination in the matter on
every visit to the kitchen. are the
only remedies for the trouble.
AS has been suggested before in
these papers, painted floor is ad-
visable in the kitchen. If this is out
of the question, linoleum is the best
floor covering for this room. 1t is
cheaper than oil.cloth, wears as we'll
if not better, and possesses one of the
advantages of the painted foor-it
can be cleaned easily. A carpet
gathers and holds grease and smells,
and spot that could readily be
wiped from the floor or oil-cloth can
not be so quickly eradicated from
the carpet. The best time for this is
early in the morning, after the fire is
made and before the cooking prepa-
rations have begun. A little brush
ing up will probably be needed
through the day, and the floor should
be well mopped or scrubbed at least
once a week, if not oftener.
Nor should the kitchen windows
be neglected. They will demand a
washing once week in winter, but
the inside will have to be wiped of
much oftener in fly time. The wood
work in this room is apt to be over
looked in the press OF other matters
but its perfect neatness is essential
to that respect Of shining cleanliness
that should characterize the we'll.
kept kitchen. Ifthe walls are paint.
ed, as they should be. instead of kal
somined or whitewashed, they may
be wiped down with wet cloth
without doing them any injury. The
tables should be secured as often as
they need it, and when they are not
in use they should be covere with a
neat red or buff cloth. The use Of
the uncovered tables prevlously
recommended will make an appre-
ciable difference in the labor OF
scrubbing,
The number Of hy-specks on walls
and furniture will be sensibly dimin-
ished by help of n'ts at doors and
windows. The sliding screens that
will fit any window are sold at very
reasonable rates, and will last years
after. They must be kept during
the winter in dry place where they
will not rust. A capital substitute
for the wire netting is that made of
cotton, so stiffened by some prepsr-
alton resembling shel.lac that it is
almost equal to wire in durability,
while much cheaper. This may be
employed in covering the screen
doors, and will last long time. The
fly doors leading from the kitchen
should be furnished with springs,
that they may not be left standing
open when any one with laden hands
has passed through them.
The subject of sinks and drains
has already been touched upon. They
require especial care in the kitchen,
where so much miscellaneou Gus matter
is emptied into the sink. A heap of
tea leaves, coffee grounds, plate
scraping, etc. should never be suffer.
ed TO accumulate over the drain
grating. All such stuff should be
put into the stove and burned, open
ing the draughts and closing the lids
until the refuse is completely con-
sumed. The drain.pipes should be
flushed daily with boiling water.
The excellent suggestion has been
made by one writer on household
sanitation that a large lump of wash
ing soda should always be laid on
the grating over the drain-pipe of the
sink, so that all the water that runs
down may carry cleansing with it.
The faucets, boiler, and other
brass-work should beIkept as brilliant
ly clean here as everywhere else in
the house, and the furniture shout /
be as carefully busted as in the par
lor.
The cook must not fall below her
domain In neatness. In this demo-
cratic country it is perhaps useless
to urge her to initiate French or Eng.
iish cooks and cover her struggling
locks with atrim cap which will
keep cooking odors from her head
and stray hairs from the dishes; but
at least she may wear tidy dresses
and aprons, and learn that the prep.
aration of food and messiness of ap.
pearance are not necessarily insepa.